A huge Fatberg the size of a boulder on Formby beach known to be poisonous to dogs

Dog owners are being asked to be vigilant after the discovery of a huge Palm Oil Fatberg

has appeared on Formby beach.

The fatbergs are poisonous to dogs.

Formby resident Duncan Smith was walking along Formby beach on Saturday 22nd July when he saw the huge lump of fat. He said: "There was a big lump of congealed fat on Formby beach this morning, between National Trust car park and Fishermans Path. I did a quick google search and it looks like a so called Fatburg made from Palm Oil and originating in Caribbean. Poisonous for dogs apparently."

Duncan has been back to the same location today, Wednesday 26th July and it is still very much there so he took the photo above.

These are high concentrations of an oily fat that can be toxic if eaten by a dog. They can vary in size from the size of a golf ball to a boulder, just like the huge one that Duncan found on Formby beach.

It’s not known precisely where they came from but it’s thought that a Palm Oil consignment may have fallen off a ship. There was a spillage in Dublin some months ago and there has been an alert on Anglesey also.

A Fatberg is the term for a giant lump of congealed fat. The fat is held together with other items that people should not be flushing down the drains such as wet wipes, cotton buds and sanitary products.

The waxy blobs appear to look like candle wax however dogs love the smell of the palm oil but eating it can poison and kill them.

Top photo by Duncan Smith